Pumping device



May 21, 1957 A, GUDMUNDSEN 2,792,787

PUMPING DEVICE Filed March 3, 1.955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 2'1, 1957 A. GUDMUNDSEN PUMPING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 3, 1953 1N VEN TOR.

United States Patent O PUMPING DEVICE Austin Gudmundsen, Inglewood, Calif., assignor to McCulloch Motors Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of Wisconsin Application March 3, 1953, Serial No. 340,114)

8 Claims. (Cl. 103-113) This invention relates to centrifugal pumps for the pumping of liquids and relates in particular to improvements in self-priming pumps.

It is an object of the invention to provide a centrifugal pump for liquids having cooperating parts arranged to efiiciently perform the priming operation of the pump by removing the air from the pump inlet and the suction duct member connected thereto so that the liquid to be pumped will be drawn by suction through the inlet passage of the pump to the eye of the impeller walls and vanes defining passages communicating the impeller chamber with the outlet chamber of the pump.

It is a further `object of the invention to provide a pump body having an impeller chamber with an impeller operating therein, walls forming a priming liquid inlet cornmunicating with the periphery of the impeller chamber and a plurality of stripper vanes following the priming liquid inlet, arranged to strip olf and deliver into the outlet chamber of the pump water and entrained air, thereby producing a suction action which will draw air from the inlet passage of the pump through the eye of the impeller.

It is an object of the invention to provide a pump for liquids having a priming liquid inlet port arranged to communicate with the upper portion of the impeller chamber and having a passage connecting it to the lower portion of the outlet chamber of the pump so that liquid relatively free from air bubbles will be delivered into the impeller chamber during the priming operation of the pump.

It is an object of the invention to provide a pump for liquids having primary and secondary stripper vanes arranged around the impeller chamber and defining pas sages connecting the impeller chamber with the outlet chamber of the pump, there being auxiliary vanes disposed in following relation to the secondary stripper vanes so as to form upper and lower priming liquid inlet passages to connect the outlet chamber with the periphery of the impeller chamber, those auxiliary vanes having their inner ends spaced outwardly from the periphery of the impeller which operates in the impeller chamber so as to leave a space or intercommunicating passage between the inner end of each priming liquid inlet passage and the inner end of the succeeding stripper passagezof the pump.

It is an object of the invention to provide a pump for liquids having stripper vanes forming passages for delivery frorn the impeller chamber to the outlet chamber of the pump and having an auxiliary vane forming a priming liquid inlet passage, the inner end of the auxiliary vane being spaced from the periphery of the impeller so that it will not perform a stripping function during the priming operation of the pump.

Further objects and advantages of the invention may be brought out in the following part of the specification wherein I have described small details of construction for the purpose of making a relatively complete disclo sure, without limiting the scope of the invention set forth in the accompanying claims.

' wardly from the eye 29 of the impeller..

2,792,787 Patented May 21, 1957 ice Referring to the accompanying drawings which `are for illustrative purposes only:

Fig. l is a cross-sectional View of the preferred embodiment of the pump showing the inlet impeller and outlet chambers of the pump and the impeller;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated by the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken as indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 to show the inner face of the pump assembly which is inserted in the pump housing.

As shown in Fig. 1, the pump has a housing 10 defining an inlet chamber or passage 11 with an inlet port 12, and `an outlet chamber 13 having a discharge port 14 at the top thereof and an opening 15 in its side wall 16 arranged to receive a pump assembly 17 provided with an annular flange 18 whereby it may be bolted in place so as to close the opening 15. The pump assembly 17 comprises an outer plate 19 and an inner plate 20 which are secured together by screws 21. These plates are cooper atively formed so that they will form between them an impeller chamber 22 and passage means, to be later described in detail, which connect the impeller chamber with the adjacent portions of the outlet chamber.

The inlet chamber 11 is formed by `a hollow wall 23 which projects inwardly from the right side wall 24 of the housing 10. The wall 23 of the inlet chamber 11 has an annular wall 25 defining an opening 26 through which a tubular projection 27 projects from the plate 20, this tubular projection having a concentric opening 28 through which water may pass from the chamber 11 to the inlet or eye of an impeller 30 which is supported for rotation in the impeller chamber 22 by a shaft 31 which projects leftwardly from a hub 32 which extends from the body of the impeller 34) through an opening 33 in the outer plate 19.` The impeller 30 rotates in a plane which is at a relatively large angle to horizontal, and is ordinarily vertical for the reason that in the general use of the device the axis of the shaft 31 is horizontal. A high pressure seal 34 is disposed in the opening 33 around the hub 32 to prevent escape of liquid from the impeller chamber 23 through the opening 33. A apper check valve 12a is disposed so as to close the inlet port 12 of the inlet chamber 11.

As shown in Fig. 2, the impeller 30 has a plurality of vanes 35 defining impeller passages 36 extending out- The impeller 3 0 is adapted to be driven in the forward direction indicated by arrow 37. Around the periphery 38 of the impeller chamber 22 there are a plurality of stripper vanes referred to respectively `as primary stripper vanes 39a and 39h and secondary stripper vanes 40a and 4Gb, these vanes having the inner portions thereof spiraling outwardly and `having their inner ends 41 close to the periphery 42 of the impeller 30. In following relation to the secondary stripper vane a there is an auxiliary vane 43u, having its inner end 44a spaced outwardly from the periphery 42 of the impeller 30 a distance considerably greater than the distance between the inner ends 41 of the stripper vanes and the periphery 42 of the impeller.

The secondary stripper vane 40a extends rightwardly and downwardly and then curves leftwardly at 4S, and its lower end 46 is terminated close to the bottom wall 47 of the outlet chamber 13. The auxiliary vane 43a has a rightward portion 48 which lies substantially parallel to the circular peripheral wall 33 of the impeller chamber 22, and a leftward portion 49 which diverges from the periphery 38 of the impeller chamber, and also lies in` diverging relation to the primary stripper vane 39b. The secondary stripper Vane 40a and the auxiliary Vane 43a constitute walls of the pump structure dening a priming liquid inlet passage 50 which connects the lower portion of the outlet chamber 31 with a primary water inlet port 51 communicating with the leftward side of the impeller chamber 22.

Onthe lefthand side of the impeller chamber 22 an auxiliary vane 43h is disposed in following relation to the secondary vane 4Gb. The inner end 44]: of the vane 43h is spaced from the secondary small vane 4Gb and is also spaced outwardly from the periphery 3S of the impeller 30 a distance considerably greater than the distance between the inner ends 41 of the stripper blades from the periphery 38 of the impeller 30. The auxiliary vane 43h has an inner portion 48h which curves upwardly and rightwardly from the inner end 44b in nearly parallel relation to the periphery 38 of the impeller chamber 22 and an outer portion 4911 which diverges rightwardly away from the periphery of the impeller chamber and also extends in diverging relation to the primary stripper vane 39a. The secondary vane 401; cooperates with thc auxiliary vane 43b to form a priming liquid inlet port Slb and a passage 50h. The upper end 52 of the secondary vane 40h joins the auxiliary vane 431; at a point spaced from its inner end 44]). At the upper end of the passage 50b there is an opening 53 through the wall of the inner plate I and a passage 54, extending downwardly from the opening 53 to a point near the bottom of the outlet chamber 13, is provided by a channel shaped casting 55 bolted onto the inner face of the inner plate 20. The lower inlet ends of the passages 5t) and 54 are disposed relatively close to the bottom wall 47 of the 'outlet chamber 13 so that the priming liquid which is drawn through the ports 51 and 51b into the impeller will be substantially free from air bubbles.

Prior to the starting of the operation of the pump, a body of liquid is placed in, or exists in, the chambers 11 and 13, the upper level of this body of priming liquid being at or above the upper margin of the eye 29 of the impeller 30. Rotation of the impeller in its forward or clockwise direction will cause discharge of water from the passages 36 of the impeller outwardly into the outlet chamber 13 through passages 58 and 59 formed between vanes 43a, 39h and 40b and through passages 5811 and 59b formed between the vanes 4317, 39a and 40a. Thereafter, air now in the impeller passages 36 will be violently intermixed with water which surges from the priming liquid inlet passages 50 and 50h through the ports 51 and Slb into the outer ends of the impeller passages 36 as indicated by arrows 61 and 62. The mixture of air and liquid will be dragged by the impeller vanes into the passages between vanes 43a and the impeller as indicated by arrows 63. As the froth, consisting of water and entrained air rapidly rotating in small vortices, is carried further along by the impeller as indicated by arrows 64, it is stripped off by the primary stripper vanes 39a and 39h and the seconda-ry stripper vanes dii/1 and 4Gb, and the water and entrai-ned air pass out into the outlet chamber 13 through the passages 58, 58h, 59 and 5%. This air evacuating eiiect continues until liquid is pulled through the inlet chamber 11 into the eye 29 of the impeller 30, whereupon continued rotation of the impeller 30 will act to pump the liquid.

I claim:

1. In a self-priming centrifugal pump: a rotary impeller; means for supporting said impeller for rotation in a plane disposed at an angle to horizontal; walls defining an impeller chamber receiving said impeller, an inlet passage communicating with the eye of the impeller and an outlet chamber adjacent said impeller chamber; a plurality of outwardly and lforwardly spiraled primary and secondary stripper vanes disposed with their inner ends positioned close to the periphery of the impeller and clening discharge passages connecting the impeller chamber with said outlet chamber; at least a pair of auxiliary vanes, each of which is disposed in following relation to one of said secondary stripper vanes so as to form upper and lower priming liquid inlet passages to connect said Cil outlet chamber with the periphery of said impeller chamber, the inner ends of said auxiliary vanes being spaced outwardly from the periphery of said impeller so as to leave, between said auxiliary vanes and the periphery of said impeller, spaces which are wider than the spaces between the ends of said stripper vanes and the periphery of said impeller; and wall means forming a passage extending downward from the inlet of the upper priming passage and connecting it wit-h the lower portion 'of said outlet chamber.

2. In a self-priming centrifugal pump: a rotary impeller; means for supporting said impeller for rotation in a plane disposed at an angle to horizontal; walls dening an impeller chamber receiving said impeller, an inlet passage communicating with the eye of the impeller and an outlet chamber adjacent said impeller chamber; a plurality of stripper vanes disposed with their inner ends positioned close to the periphery of the impeller and dening discharge passages connecting the impeller chamber with said outlet chamber; at least a pair of auxiliary vanes, one of said auxiliary vanes being disposed in following relation to one of said stripper vanes on one side of said impeller chamber and another of said auxiliary vanes being disposed in following relation to one of said stripper vanes on the opposite side of said impeller, so as to form upper and lower priming liquid inlet passages to connect said outlet chamber with the periphery of said impeller' chamber, the inner ends of said auxiliary vanes being spaced outwardly from the periphery `of said impeller so as to leave, between said auxiliary vanes and the periphery of said impeller, spaces which are wider than the spaces between the ends of said stripper vanes and the periphery of said impeller; and wall means forming a passagev extending downward from the inlet of the upper vpriming passage and connecting it with the lower portion of said outlet chamber.

3. In a self-priming centrifugal pump: a rotary impeller; means for supporting said impeller for rotation in a plane disposed at an angle to horizontal; walls defining an impeller chamber receiving said impeller, an inlet passage communicating with the eye of the impeller and an outlet chamber adjacent said impeller chamber; a plurality of .outwardly and forwardly spiraled primary and secondary stripper vanes disposed with their inner ends positioned close to the periphery of the impeller and deining discharge .passages connecting the impeller chamber with said outlet chamber; at least a pair of auxiliary vanes, each of which -is disposed i-n following relation to one of' said vsecondary stripper vanes so as to form upper and lower priming liquid inlet passages to connect said outlet chamber with the periphery of said impeller chamber; and wall means forming a passage extending downward from thel inlet of the upper priming passage and connecting 'it with the lower portion of said outlet chamber.

4. In 'a self-'priming centrifugal pump: a rotary im peller; means for supporting said vimpeller'for rotation in a plane disposed at an angle to horizontal; walls defining an impeller chamber receiving said impeller, an inlet passage communicating with the eye of the impeller and an outlet chamber adjacent said impeller chamber; a plurality of stripper vanes disposed with their inner ends positioned close to the periphery of the impeller and dening discharge passages connecting the impeller chamber with vsaid outlet chamber; at least a pair of auxiliary vanes, one 'of said 'auxiliary vanes being disposed in following relation to one of said stripper vanes on one side of said impeller chamber and another of said auxiliary vanes being disposed in following relation to one of said stripper vanes on the opposite side of said impeller, so as to form upper and lower priming liquid inlet passages to connect said outlet chamber with the periphery of said impeller chamber; and wall means forming a passage extending downward from the inlet of the upper priming passage and connecting it with the lower -portion of said outlet chamber.

aroma? 5. In a self-priming centrifugal pump: a rotary impeller; means for supporting said impeller for rotation in a plane disposed at an angle to horizontal; walls deiining an impeller chamber receiving said impeller, an inlet passage communicating with the eye of the impeller and an outlet chamber adjacent said impeller chamber; a plurality of outwardly and forwardly spiraled primary and secondary stripper vanes disposed with their inner ends positioned close to the periphery of the impeller and defining discharge passages connecting the impeller chamber with said outlet chamber; and at least a pair of auxiliary vanes, each of which is disposed in following relation to one of said secondary stripper vanes so as to form upper and lower priming liquid inlet passages to connect said outlet chamber with the periphery of said impeller chamber, the inner ends of said auxiliary vanes being substantially parallel to and spaced outwardly from the periphery of said impeller so as to leave, between said auxiliary vanes and the periphery of said impeller, spaces which are wider than the spaces between the ends of said stripper vanes and the periphery of said impeller the outer ends of said auxiliary vanes diverging from the periphery of said impeller chamber.

6. In a self-priming centrifugal pump: a rotary irnpeller; means for supporting said impeller for rotation in a plane disposed at an angle to horizontal; walls dening an impeller chamber receiving said impeller, an inlet passage communicating with the eye of the impeller and an outlet chamber adjacent said impeller chamber; a plurality of stripper vanes disposed with their inner ends positioned close to the periphery of the impeller and dening discharge passages connecting the impeller chamber with said outlet chamber; an auxiliary vane in following relation to one of said stripper vanes so as to form above the horizontal center line of said impeller chamber a priming liquid inlet passage connecting said outlet chamber with the periphery of said impeller chamber, the inner end of said auxiliary vane being spaced outwardly from the periphery of said impeller so as to leave a space between said auxiliary vane and the pcriphery of said impeller, which space is wider than the spaces between the ends of said stripper vanes and the periphery of said impeller; and wall means forming a passage extending downwardly from the inlet opening of said priming liquid inlet passage to the lower portion of said outlet chamber so that the priming liquid drawn therethrough will be substantially free of air bubbles.

7. In a self-priming centrifgual pump: a rotary impeller; means for supporting said impeller for rotation in a plane disposed at an angle to horizontal; walls detning an impeller chamber receiving said impeller, an inlet passage communicating with the eye of the impeller and an outlet chamber adjacent said impeller chamber; a plurality of stripper vanes disposed with their inner ends positioned close to the periphery of the impeller and dening discharge passages connecting the impeller chamber with said outlet chamber; an auxiliary vane in following relation to one of said stripper vanes so as to form above the horizontal center line of said impeller chamber a priming liquid inlet passage connecting said outlet chamber with the periphery of said impeller chamber the inner end of said auxiliary vane being :arranged approximately parallel to the periphery of said impeller chamber and the outer portion of said auxiliary vane diverging from the periphery of said impeller chamber; and wall means forming a passage connecting said priming liquid inlet passage with the outlet chamber at a point below said horizontal center line.

8. In a self-priming centrifugal pump: a rotary impeller; means for supporting said impeller for rotation in a plane disposed at an angle to horizontal; wall dening an impeller chamber receiving said impeller, an inlet passage communicating with the eye of the impeller and an outlet chamber adjacent said impeller chamber; walls forming a priming liquid inlet port communicating with the upper portion of the periphery of said impeller chamber and a duct extending downward from said port and connecting it with said outlet chamber at a point below the level of the body of Water existing in said outlet chamber when the pump is idle; and a plurality of stripper vanes directly following said port and forming passages connecting said impeller chamber with said outlet chamber.

References Cited inthe le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,281,175 Stratton Apr. 28, 1942 2,461,925 Rupp Feb. 15, 1949 2,627,812 Mann Feb. 10, 1953 2,627,817 Mann et al Feb. l0, 1953 2,653,546 Marlow Sept. 29, 1953 

